By AP/KWMU
Washington, D.C. – Former Missouri U.S. Senator John Danforth was sworn in Thursday as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations.
Supreme Court justice Clarence Thomas administered the oath of office to Danforth. Thomas worked for Danforth 30 years ago when Danforth was Missouri Attorney General.
President Bush said Danforth goes to the United Nations as a "strong voice for the humane and decent conscience of America."
Danforth replaces John Negroponte as ambassador to the world body; Negroponte became U.S. ambassador to Iraq earlier this week.
Danforth also served as Bush's special representative to Sudan. He says he takes office knowing that it will be his job to help the U.N. resolve the conflict with what he called "the forces of chaos."